Display means

ABSTRACT

The invention provides a display means comprising one or more display panels removably mounted between free-standing posts by means of downwardly projecting pin members at the vertical edges of the panels, the pin members engaging apertures in members secured to the posts.

United States Patent Bannister 51 Aug. 22, 1972 1541 DISPLAY MEANS [72] Inventor: Brian Charles Bannister, North Mymms, England [73] Assignee: Marler Haley (Manufacturing) Limited, Barnet, England [22] Filed: Dec. 1, 1969 [21] App1.No.: 881,142

[52] US. Cl ..40/l25 F, /125 H [51] Int. Cl. ..G09f 7/14 [58] Field of Search ..40/ F, 125 H; 49/501;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,093,119 4/1914 Donavan ..160/ 3,198,242 8/ 1 965 Crosswell /229'X 151,942 6/1874 Washburn 16/ 1 35 3,204,689 9/1965 Howell ..160/135 2,399,169 4/ 1946 Crawford ..49/501 2,855,037 10/1958 Stiffel ..160/135 1,398,909 11/1921 North 160/351 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 88,302 2/ 1921 Switzerland ..40/ 125 H 1,391,985 2/1965 France ..160/l35 Primary Examiner-Robert W, Michell. Assistant ExaminerRichard Carter Attorney-Woodhams, Blanchard and Flynn 57 ABSTRACT The invention provides a display means comprising one or moredisplay panels removably mounted between free-standing posts by means of downwardly projecting pin members at the vertical edges of the panels, the pin members engaging apertures in members secured to the posts.

3 Claims, l5 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAUB22 m2 "SHEET 1 or 5 MAW/DE 52m 04mm MAW/Me PATENTEDauszz m2 SHEET 3 BF 3 DISPLAY MEANS The invention relates to display means and in particular to display means of the screen kind which are capable of supporting objects to be displayed.

Screen display means are known but generally are of light-weight construction for the display of posters or cardboard sheets and are not adjusted to supportloads.

It is an object of the invention to provide a screen which can support loads such as lighting fixtures.

It is another object of the invention to provide a screen which can be of any desired dimension, and which is dismantable and portable.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a display means which is easily constructed, and inexpensive to produce.

Thus brackets may be providedv to be secured to the ends of each screen, or panel of the display means, the brackets including pins which are each adapted to fit into a vertical bore in a collar, comprising the members secured to support posts, provided integral with or secured to one of the posts, which posts are upright and provided with bases whereby they can be freely standing. The panels are advantageously tongued and grooved whereby they may be connected together one above the other. The grooves are preferably deeper than the tongues so that electrical cables can be provided to run in the grooves without fouling the tongues. The tongues are adapted to project downwardly to present the groove on the top edge of the top screen whereby clamps may be secured by using the groove to enable lighting fixtures or other objects to be cantilevered from the panels.

The brackets are advantageously adapted to be provided in recesses in the panels so that they do not project from the sides of the panels but only at the lateral extremities of the panels and are so angled that the pins are aligned with the middle position in the thickness of the panels.

Advantageously each panel is formed with a frame and facing panels and the upright posts provided in short sections which can be connected together as by screwing.

The display means according to the invention have many uses, among them readily movable exhibitions for example of paintings, display screens for specimens, for example geological specimens, individually cantilevered from the screens or displayed on shelves cantilevered fromthe screens, defining'areas or walkways at for example a walk around exhibition, or being coupled together to form an information or sales kiosk.

The invention is diagrammatically illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a panel for a screen for display means according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a part of an assembled panel;

FIGS. 30, 3b, 3c, and 3d show details of left and right handed connection brackets;

FIGS. 4a, 4b and 40 show details of a post;

FIGS. 5a, 5b and 5c are views of an assembled panel;

FIGS. 6a and 6b show details of grooves and tongues whereby the panel can be connected together, and

FIG. 7 is a part sectional view of a base for a post.

As shown in the drawings a screen or panel 1 comprises a frame having a top member 2, bottom member 3, and side members 4, and middle member or members 5; and side panels 6 secureable by glueing, pinning or screwing to the frame. The top member 2 is grooved and cut-away as shown in FIG. 6a and the bottom member '3 has a tongue to fit into the groove of the top member 2.

The members 4 are cut-away at 7 to receive connection brackets 8 which are formed with a fixing flange 9, an angled portion 10 and a pin 11. They may be formed to be right or left handed as shown in FIGS. 3b and 3d. The pins 11, which owing to the angle portion 10 are substantially aligned with the middle of the thickness of the panel 1, are secured in bores 12 provided in collars 13 adapted to be secured on posts 14, for example four collars 13 on each post 14 (FIG. 40), formed in two pairs 13A and 138, each pair adapted to receive the two pins 1 l at one end of a panel l'with the two panels associated with the two pairs of collars beingrelatively so positioned one above the other as to interlock by the n end with'afirst post 14 to provide a high screen. The

posts 14 may be tubes having inserts l5 and 16 in their ends, as shown in FIGS. la and 4c, whereby they may be joined end to end and to heavy bases 17 FIG. 7, which allow the screens to be free standing.

As illustrated in FIGS. 5a and 5b each panel 1 has a pair of brackets 8 disposed on the opposite side members thereof, whereupon the panel can thus be disposed between and mounted on a pair of upstanding post members, which post members have suitable collars 13 mounted thereon disposed for receiving therein the depending pin portions 11 snugly within the bores 12.

As shown in FIG. 6a the member 2 may be additionally profiled to facilitate the securing of objects to the top of the screen.

Shelves or other objects may be secured to the screens by means of brackets passing through holes in the screen and locking against the other side of the screen.

lclaim:

l. Dismountable display means comprising:

a plurality of spaced-apart and free-standing support member means;

a plurality of base members, each support member means being received in one base member;

a plurality of mounting means, there being at least two mounting means spaced-apart along the length of and secured to each support member means, each mounting means comprising collar means projecting beyond the lateral extremity of the support member means and defining at least one bore means extending through the collar means, the longitudinal axis of said bore means lying substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said support member means;

at least one display panel means, said display panel means having a substantially rectangular frame means containing recess means at spaced-apart locations in the lateral extremities thereof, there being as many recess means on one lateral extremity of said frame means as there are mounting means on said support member means;

said frame means having longitudinally extending groove means formed on one vertical extremity thereof and having longitudinally extending tongue means formed on an opposite vertical extremity thereof, said tongue means being of a size and shape compatable with said groove means for permitting said display panel means to be vertically connected to a further display panel means;

connection means disposed within each of said recess means, said connection means including a bracket means for securing said connection means to said frame means, said connection means also including depending pin means and angle arm means, said angle arm means connecting said pin means with said bracket means; and

said depending pin means being substantially circular I in cross-section and having a diameter which is slightly smaller than that of said bore means, whereby when two of said free standing support means are placed a distance apart with a pair of mounting means on each support means being an equal height above said base means, and said bore means in a pair of mounting means of equidistant height from the said base means on the two support member means are laterally spaced apart by the distance between two depending pin means on opposed lateral extremities of said frame means, said pin means are received with a tight sliding fit in said bore means to secure said display panel means substantially vertically between said freestanding support member means.

2. Dismountable display means according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal axis of said pin means lies substantially within a plane passing through the center of said frame means when said bracket means are secured to said side members.

3. Dismountable display means comprising:

a plurality of spaced-apart and free-standing support member means;

a plurality of base members, each support member means being received in one base member;

a plurality of mounting means, there being at least two mounting means spaced-apart along the length of and secured to each support member means, each mounting means comprising collar means projecting beyond the lateral extremity of the support member means and defining at least one bore means extending through the collar means, the longitudinal axis of said bore means lying substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said support member means;

at least one display panel means, said display panel means having a substantially rectangular frame means containing recess means at spaced-apart locations in the lateral extremities thereof, there being as many recess means on one lateral extremity of said frame means as there are mounting means on said support member means;

said frame means comprising a pair of substantially dexten 'n betw en and f xedl ecured tos 'd Sl e mem is adfiacent e tlier extrem iiy thereof, said second frame member having longitudinally extending tongue means, and a display panel secured to the horizontal members and the side members:

connection means disposed within each of said recess means, said connection means including a bracket means for securing said connection means to said frame means, said connection means also including depending pin means and angle arm means, said angle arm means connecting said pin means with said bracket means; and

said depending pin means being substantially circular in cross-section and having a diameter which is slightly smaller than that of said bore means, whereby when two of said freestanding support means are placed a distance apart with a pair of mounting means on each support means being an equal height above said base means, and said bore means in a pair of mounting means of equidistant height from the said base means on the two support member means are laterally spaced apart by the distance between two depending pin meanson opposed lateral extremities of said frame means, said pin means are received with a tight sliding fit in said bore means to secure said display panel means substantially vertically between said freestanding support member means. 

1. Dismountable display means comprising: a plurality of spaced-apart and free-standing support member means; a plurality of base members, each support member means being received in one base member; a plurality of mounting means, there being at least two mounting means spaced-apart along the length of and secured to each support member means, each mounting means comprising collar means projecting beyond the lateral extremity of the support member means and defining at least one bore means extending through the collar means, the longitudinal axis of said bore means lying substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said support member means; at least one display panel means, said display panel means having a substantially rectangular frame means containing recess means at spaced-apart locations in the lateral extremities thereof, there being as many recess means on one lateral extremity of said frame means as there are mounting means on said support member means; said frame means having longitudinally extending groove means formed on one vertical extremity thereof and having longitudinally extending tongue means formed on an opposite vertical extremity thereof, said tongue means being of a size and shape compatable with said groove means for permitting said display panel means to be vertically connected to a further display panel means; connection means disposed within each of said recess means, said connection means including a bracket means for securing said connection means to said frame means, said connection means also including depending pin means and angle arm means, said angle arm means connecting said pin means with said bracket means; and said depending pin means being substantially circular in crosssection and having a diameter which is slightly smaller than that of said bore means, whereby when two of said free standing support means are placed a distance apart with a pair of mounting means on each support means being an equal height above said base means, and said bore means in a pair of mounting means of equidistant height from the said base means on the two support member means are laterally spaced apart by the distance between two depending pin means on opposed lateral extremities of said frame means, said pin means are received with a tight sliding fit in said bore means to secure said display panel means substantially vertically between said freestanding support member means.
 2. Dismountable display means according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal axis of said pin means lies substantially within a plane passing through the center of said frame means when said bracket means are secured to said side members.
 3. Dismountable display means comprising: a plurality of spaced-apart and free-standing support member means; a plurality of base members, each support member means being received in one base member; a plurality of mounting means, there being at least two mounting means spaced-apart along the length of and secured to each support member means, each mounting means comprising collar means projecting beyond the lateral extremity of the support member means and defining at least one bore means extending through the collar means, the longitudinal axis of said bore means lying substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said support member means; at least one display panel means, said display panel means having a substantially rectangular frame means containing recess means at spaced-apart locations in the lateral extremities thereof, there being as many recess means on one lateral extremity of said frame means as there are mounting means on said support member means; said frame means comprising a pair of substantially vertically extending side members each having said recess means formed therein, a first substantially horizontal frame member extending between and secured to said side members adjacent one extremity thereof, said first frame member having longitudinally extending groove means, and a second substantially horizontal frame member disposed substantially parallel to said first member and extending between and fixedly secured to said side members adjacent the other extremity thereof, said second frame member having longitudinally extending tongue means, and a display panel secured to the horizontal members and the side members; connection means disposed within each of said recess means, said connection means including a bracket means for securing said connection means to said frame means, said connection means also including depending pin means and angle arm means, said angle arm means connecting said pin means with said bracket means; and said depending pin means being substantially circular in cross-section and having a diameter which is slightly smaller than that of said bore means, whereby when two of said free standing support means are placed a distance apart with a pair of mounting means on each support means being an equal height above said base means, and said bore means in a pair of mounting means of equidistant height from the said base means on the two support member means are laterally spaced apart by the distance between two depending pin means on opposed lateral extremities of said frame means, said pin means are received with a tight sliding fit in said bore means to secure said display panel means substantially vertically between said free-standing support member means. 